The imperical-ideal Ecclesiology

Pascal D. Bazzell
 The imperical-ideal
Ecclesiology
Pascal D. Bazzell
Content
1. Ecclesiology from the dimension of platonic(idealist)
2. Ecclesiology from the dimension of Aristotlian(realist)
3. Contour of the turn
a. The study of revelation
b. The study of social world
4. Ecclesiality embeded in ordinary space
5. Theological engagement with the social sciences
6. The marks of the Church for the poor
Platonic (idealist)
- The Church is perfect “ God’s eyes
view”
The imperical-ideal Ecclesiology Pascal D.
Bazzell
1. Platonic (idealist) research the dynamic relationship of the Church
Good points:
Paved foundation for our classical ecclesiology
helping people draw conclusion from symbols
Platonic (idealist) research the dynamic relationship of the
Church

Weak point:
ideal ecclesiologies can lead people to abstract reflection which is
distant from its concrete identity
2. Aristotelian (imperical) or Practically
oriented ecclesiology
- Aristotelian (imperical) study the locality or contextuality of the
Church
- Blueprint ecclesiology
2. Aristotelian (imperical) or Practically
oriented ecclesiology
• Strong points:
+ it gives specific data to study the church
Weak point:
+ it cannot explain or give a definition about the universal Church.
Contours of the turn
• The Church is set up by God himself, so it is beyond
human mind
the Church presence in the ordinary space
 Problems of the contours of the turn
• Problem of perfect Church.
The special characteristics of the Church
Both static and fixed
Both discontinue and continue
Relationship between social science and
theology
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer: the Church of Christ must understand under 2
dimension “social and theology”(Santorum Communio).

1. Social dimension:
+ strong point: help to understand the effect of environment of
Christian and the development of the Church in history.
+ weak point: it has it’s limitation because science cannot understand
or explain revelation which exceed it’s abilility.
 Relationship between social science and
theology
• 2. theological dimension:
+ Strong point: the reality of the Church is the reality of revelation therefore
researcher can step inside the revelation to understand it.
+ weak point: Peter Berger sees that theologians often failing into assumption and
ideosyncracies of the sociology from one institution to the next.
A look on the Marks of the Church for the poor
The marks of the Church make the Church to be the Church.
The Nicene Creed “One, Holy, Catholic and apostolic”
One: one Lord, one Faith, one baptism, one God and to be one in
Christ.
Holiness: the Church is holy because God is holy.
Catholic: the Church is catholic in her mission which proclaim the
Lordship of Christ.
Apostolic: the catholic Church inherited her identity directly from the
Apostles (tradition, Gospel…). They carried the Gospel from Christ,
transfer to next generation and to the end of the world.
Reflection on The Church for the poor.

The church should be studied with both empirical and ideal dimensions.
The Church for the poor